Video: Tributes to cricket legend Richie Benaud, dead at 84
Benaud had been battling skin cancer and recovering from the after-effects of a car accident in 2013.
He was as revered in England, where he worked on television from 1963 to 2005, as he was in his homeland.
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Hide AdMoments after his death, stars and cricket fans vented their emotions on Twitter.
Australian prime minister Tony Abbott said: “A sad day for Australia. We have lost a cricketing champion and Australian icon. What an innings. RIP Richie Benaud.”
Piers Morgan said: “RIP Richie Benaud. The greatest cricket commentator of them all & a wonderful man. Mourning Everyone.” Former Australian fast bowler Brett Lee said: “Very sad to hear the news today of the passing of Richie Benaud. What a legend of a cricketer and broadcaster for @Channel9 @WWOS9 best ever.”
Former England cricketer Jonathan Agnew, writing for the BBC, said: “Richie Benaud was the doyen of cricket commentators. He was quite simply peerless. Nobody else had his authority, popularity and skill.
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Hide Ad“Captain of his country, one of the finest all-rounders of his era and a broadcaster beyond compare for five decades ... there will never be another Richie Benaud. He was a one-off.”
England cricketer Michael Carberry tweeted: “Another sad day for cricket! We have lost another great cricketing brother. Watching and listening will never be the same. RIP Richie Benaud.”
Former Leeds and Liverpool footballer Harry Kewell, an Australian international, said: “A sad day in cricket. I will sadly miss listening to the legend richiebenaud ‘s commentary. His voice IS cricket.”
BBC Sport’s Dan Walker tweeted: “Used to wait for Richie Benaud to say ‘morning everyone’ to kick start the summer. Very sad news.”